Research Experiences

Graduate Research AssociateInvestigations of excess ice in the Martian mid-latitudes using terraced craters, radar and modeling
Lunar and Planetary Laboratory/Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, August 2012-current
Advisor: Prof. Shane Byrne

Participated in 11 semesters of Planetary Geology Field Studies to study the local geology and planetary analogs in: Tucson; Flagstaff;
Mojave Desert; Northern New Mexico and the K/T Boundary; Hawaii; Southern New Mexico; Southeastern Utah and Canyonlands; the Salton Sea;
the Chiricahua Mountains and San Bernardino Valley; Southwestern Utah, and Bryce and Zion Canyons; Page, AZ; Death Valley

Participated in field trips to explore Mars analogs at the HiRISE team meetings to Utah, Idaho, Iceland and Flagstaff

Lab

Aqueous synthesis of metal nanoparticles

Scanning electron microscopy

Dynamic light scattering

UV-Visible spectroscopy

Professional Activities and Departmental Involvement

Served on NASA Review Panels

Reviewer for Geophysical Research Letters, Icarus, and Advances in Space Research

Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo,
November 2012
Explained an impact cratering demo for the public

Sugar Creek Elementary School,
November 2011
Read books about the Moon and the Mars rovers and explained various astronomical phenomena to three second-grade classes

Universe in the Park,
Summer 2010 & 2011
Gave 30-minute astronomy presentations at WI state parks, proceeded by telescope viewings

“SETI Gurls”,
Summer 2010
Co-created this video about the SETI REU program. It has over 11,000 views on YouTube, and was featured on NPR’s Science Friday, the Huffington Post, AOL News and Astronomy Magazine.

SETIcon,
August 2010
Ran planetarium shows and helped with a Build-Your-Own Galileoscope workshop

Wonders of Physics,
February 2008 & 2009
Volunteered at this program for the public and supervised/explained topics in the physics museum